Cygnus is a northern
constellation on the plane of the
Milky Way, deriving its name from the Latinized Greek word for '
swan'. Cygnus is one of the most recognizable constellations of the northern summer and autumn, and it features a prominent
asterism known as the
Northern Cross. Cygnus was among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer
Ptolemy, and it remains one of the
88 modern constellations. This illustration of Cygnus, with the surrounding constellations of
Lacerta,
Lyra and
Vulpecula, was produced around 1823 as part of Urania's Mirror, a set of 32 astronomical star-chart cards published in the United Kingdom.Lithograph credit:
Sidney Hall; restored by
Adam Cuerden